ous acquaintance, all of whom he contrives to lay under contribution in some way or other; but his happy assurance and ready presence of mind enable him to do it with an ease and spirit which veil, if they cannot entirely conceal, his being a mere spunger. Bob is celebrated for his obliging disposition; that is, for his readiness to assist any frolic, however mischievous or unprincipled, and for his invincible good-humour, which is nothing more than an utter want of shame and sensibility. Such are the two qualities which make nine-tenths of his acquaintance declare that he is a very honest fellow.

head of a patriotic subscription, to which he contributed a large sum; that is to say, on paper, for he forgot to pay it. He has, however, credit for generosity, because he has been known to assist those who are as profiligate as himself; and for spirit, because he once challenged a gentleman, who said he had acted dishonourably in seducing the wife of his friend: so that go where you will you are sure to be told, that he is generous, spirited, open-hearted, and, to crown all, the honestest fellow in the world.

If this is not a perversion of language I don't know what is: but these are not the only instances of the kind that have fallen under my observation. The term sneaking fellow is very often expressed where honest ought most certainly to be used: this is the case with Sam Softly, who is a good husband, an excellent father, a warm friend, and, in the strictest sense of the word, an honest man; but some peculiarities of manner, a quaintness of expression, and a strict businesslike manner of settling with people, so as neither to cheat nor be cheated, occasion him to be characterized by the generality of people as a poor-spirited creature, a miserable animal, in short, a sneaking fellow. I am afraid that it is not the men

Dick Dashall, destitute himself of fortune, had the good luck to marry a most amiable woman with a very fine estate. He always treated her in public with the greatest respect and affection. No lover could be more gallantly assiduous in shawling her up before he suffered her to venture out of a warm room, nor more careful in preventing her being incommoded by a crowd in getting to her coach: consequently he was regarded by every body as a miracle of a husband; and when he seduced the wife of his best friend, it was generally allowed that the fault must be on the lady's side, because it was impossible such a fine open-alone who are chargeable with this hearted fellow could be guilty of deliberate treachery. Yet this fine fellow had laid close siege in private for months to the wife of his friend, while he totally neglected his own; but the world would not believe it, any more than it would credit the report of his leaving a girl, whom he had seduced, and her child, of whom he was the father, to starve at the very moment that he placed his name at the

perversion of language; the ladies, dear souls! are not wholly exempt from the same fault. Mrs. Drudgewell is declared by all her female acquaintance to be the best creature in the world. Is it her piety, charity, or generosity, that has procured her this character? Not at all: she owes it to her being the convenient friend, or rather sycophant, of all those with whom she is connected,

Ever occupied in attending to her own interest, and sensible that nothing so effectually promotes it as those little nameless compliances which cost the persons who make them nothing but their dignity and independence of mind, she is always at the orders of her friends; always ready to go on their errands, to act as a spy on their servants; in short, to perform any servile office that

may entitle her to a dinner, and to the appellation of the best creature in the world.

My memory would furnish me with instances enough of the same kind to exhaust the reader's patience, only that, fortunately for him, a fit of indolence induces me to postpone the subject to some future opportunity.

N. N.

MADALENA, OR THE CONSEQUENCES OF ELOPEMENT. (Continued from p. 150.)

never separated from her affectionate husband, and was therefore more easily induced to assist Mrs. Gilman's innocent stratagem. She was indeed surprised, as Colonel Gilman's unkindness had partly tran

THE lady of the eldest captain || tion took place. Mrs. Wortesly had had been Mrs. Gilman's most intimate acquaintance in the regiment, and through her influence with Lady Melbourne, Captain Wortesly was appointed major. In a moment of the most agonizing perplexity, Mrs. Gilman had recourse to Mrs. Wortes-spired, and his free behaviour with ly; and the worthy old lady second- Miss Jervas had not escaped notice: ed her views, without prying into the however, when Mrs. Wortesly heard circumstances in which they origi- she was returning to England, Mrs. nated. Colonel Gilman had told his Gilman's avoidance of being her felwife, that the British troops were or- low-passenger was sufficiently acdered from Sicily to Portugal: she counted for. The transport in which must return to Britain, and Miss Major Wortesly was to sail was Jervas would be an agreeable com- crowded with men; at least Mrs. panion during his absence. Mrs. Wortesly assigned this as a reason Gilman was shocked by the latter for begging to have a state-room in part of the colonel's communication; the frigate in which Colonel Gilman but desirous of parting, as she had was to sail to Portugal. She said a lived with him, on amicable terms, crowded ship would bring on a seshe suppressed the emotions of of- vere paroxysm of her haunting foe, fended delicacy, and only replied, the asthma; and Colonel Gilman, the that she hoped he would not be quintessence of politeness to every much appalled, though his good ge- lady except his wife, insisted that nius should take her semblance on Mrs. Wortesly should occupy his the banks of the Tagus. He gaily large state-room, and declared it was said, he must hail such an apparition always his intention to sling his cot as his better angel. Mrs. Gilman in his cabin. Mrs. Gilman was to told Mrs. Wortesly she wished to get on board in the evening, disguissmuggle herself to Portugal, and sur-ed as one of Mrs. Wortesly's attendprise the colonel when the debarka-ants, and to have a bed in the same

of the frigate assured them that the wind was fair, and she made great way. The stupifying oblivion of intoxication continued to hush the cabin till the first hour after noon, when the ladies were roused by Colonel Gilman ringing his bell. The door of the state-room had been left ajar by Mrs. Wortesly's servant, the wife of a soldier, and they could hear the colonel tell his valet to bring his secretaire. Profound stillness again disposed the ladies to slumber, when a half angry exclamation from Colonel Gilman and the coquettish laugh of Miss Jervas announced her vicinity. Her gaiety soon changed to a doleful remonstrance at Colonel Gilman's cruelty, as he imperiously charged her with disobedience to his injunctions, and presumptuous folly, which had frustrated his endeavours to send her home with a soldered, if not a sound reputation. She was now blasted to all intents and purposes; and if Mrs. Gilman deigned to inquire for her, she must be convinced of incidents, that, till then, she only suspected; and the uneasiness occasioned to her was to him very offensive. Observing the

apartment. Colonel Gilman bade farewell to his lady, and left Miss Jervas wholly in her power; but she employed the opportunity to benefit that unhappy girl, not to retort injuries. The widow of a commissary clerk had been chiefly maintained by Mrs. Gilman's bounty since the decease of her husband: she was going home with her children, and furnished with ample funds to pay all expenses for Miss Jervas. Mrs. Croisdale took charge of her, engaging not to part from her till she saw her safe at the house of her father, who had some appointment in the customs at Deptford. Miss Jervas accounted for her violent grief by saying, she had taken a long farewell of her dearest female friend, a Sicilian lady; and complaining of sea-sickness, went to bed. She knew nothing of the arrangements between Mrs. Gilman and Mrs. Croisdale, and both supposed Mrs. Gilman was going to England, though she might be unfit for attending to Miss Jervas on deck. Mrs. Wortesly came to drink tea with Mrs. Gilman, as the fleets were not to weigh their anchors till early next morning; and as soon as darkness assisted the pro-poor castaway in tears, he continued jected masquerade, the colonel's and major's ladies left the vessel which was bound for England; and though they were obliged to pass through the great cabin, where Colonel Gil-friendless penury. She ought not to man, with several officers, sat over their wine, Mrs. Gilman was not recognised.

A contrary wind still detained them in the harbour, and uproarious merriment in the cabin kept the ladies awake. When morning was a little advanced, a bustle upon deck informed them that the seamen were hoisting the sails. The easy motion

to say, that having madly reduced herself to a rueful plight, she should bear in mind, that a pretty face was all the barrier between her and

dim her fine eyes with tears on any account, unless pearly drops from lustrous orbs could dissolve the heart of a stripling Philander; but Horatio Gilman knew the sex too well to melt at an eye-stream, or to be dazzled by an eye-beam. Miss Jervas, sobbing and wringing her hands, fell at the feet of her relentless deluder, vowing that his favour was all the

world to her, and she must cling to him for ever. He bade her remem

ber he had a wife.

"Yes," said the wretched girl, rising from the humiliating posture he did not even assist her to quit; "yes, alas! yes, Colonel Gilman had a wife when he swore by every sacred name to love his cousin for ever!"

"For ever!" repeated Gilman in a manner that pointedly derided Louisa's common-place expressions. "Can you have been such a simpleton as not to be aware, that all men become sages as soon as their passions are sated?"

up all her charms for conquest. She saw that her betrayer was determined to rid himself of her, and in despair followed Poligni to the little state-room. Poligni returned to attend his master.

While dressing, Colonel Gilman vented his chagrin in a violent tirade against that teasing encumbrance, Louisa Jervas. He compared her bold encroachments with the sweet submissions of Mrs. Gilman, who never persecuted him with her unalienable right to his adherence, and swore his own Madalena was myriads of times more beautiful than Jervas; being also transcendent in accomplishments and understanding. He almost confessed he had been infatuated in preferring a silly, yet mercenary creature, to a wife who evinc

his happiness. Flashings of admirable good sense and good feeling broke through the mists of sensualism in Colonel Gilman's discourse with the wily Italian, who tried to foment the passions that made him a confidant of his master's low pleasures; and Mrs. Gilman too surely knew, that though he did her justice in the contrast with Miss Jervas, because he was now disgusted with her, it must be in vain to hope he would not soon be involved in guilt with some new object.

The miserable Louisa could offer no reply but tears; and, after a pause, Colonel Gilman, without one touch of pity, begged she would be more reasonable than to expect him to re-ed the most disinterested regard for main in folly or lunacy beyond the period usual to other fugitive lovers. Louisa upbraided, implored, expos tulated, but her destroyer was inexorable; in short, Mrs. Gilman heard enough to assure her, that the most injured wife is not so pitiable as her guilty rival, setting wholly out of the question the immeasurable difference between conscious innocence and conscious shame. The colonel rang for his valet, and ordered him to do up his little state-room in a minute, and to take Miss Jervas's trunks thither, giving notice when all was ready: Poligni might shift for himself among the colonel's retinue; and at his peril to be quick in preparing the state-room. He soon returned to say all was arranged for the lady. He came just as Colonel Gilman had finished telling Miss Jervas he would place her at dinner beside the young and opulent Ensign Haddacombe; and he recommended to her to call

Mrs. Wortesly had overheard so much from the colonel's own lips, that reserves on the condition of Miss Jervas could be of no use; nor could Mrs. Gilman endure to consign her to irreclaimable depravity without one effort to save her: she therefore asked Mrs. Wortesly to interfere. Her age fully sanctioned her in seeing the unhappy girl, to prevail with her to admit a respectable serjeant's